Internal-combustion engine



Feb. 3. 1925. I 1,524,845

H. A. SH ORT INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed March 18, 1924 gwlnwlioi Patented Feb. 3, 1925..

HERMAN A. SHORT, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed March 18, 1924. Serial No. 700,154.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN A. SHORT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines, and particularly to those of the opposed piston type.

An object of the invention resides in pro viding an internal combustion engine having a, cylinder for slidably receiving opposed pistons, which cooperate to' form a power chamber within the cylinders having suitable inlet exhaust passages and firing mechanism, wherein the cylinder is provided with crank cases at the opposite end rotatably mounting crank shafts, having cranks with which are connected the piston rods mounting the pistons for movement with said shafts, the crank shafts being further provided with cranks for receivinga connecting links directly connecting the cranks of said shafts for producing a corresponding movement of each piston in the cylinder in relative opposite directions and opposite rotating movement of one of the crank shafts relative to the other, for producing an internal combustion engine of the opposed piston type, wherein the operating parts are adapted to provide a balanced structure for reducing vibration in the engine.

The invention includes other objects and improvements in the details of construction, and arrangement of the parts, for p-ro viding a balanced internal combustion engine of the opposed piston type, which are more particularly pointed out, in the following description and claim, relating to the preferred form of the invention, it being understood that variations may be made, within the scope of the description and claim.

In the drawing, illustrating one embodiment of the invention, the figure shows a longitudinal sectional view, through an internal combustion engine, constructed according to the invention.

Internal combustion engines of the opposed piston type include a cylinder indicated at 1, open at both ends for slidably receiving the opposed movable pistons 2, which cooperate to forrn a power chamber 3, with in the cylinder. The central portion of the cylinder is formed with a suitable valve I a controlled inlet 1, and a valve controlledexhaust 5, ignition means'being indicated at 6, for igniting the charges of compressed gas in the power chamber, for operating the pistons. The valves may be operated in any suitable manner, well known in the art, for timing the proper intake and exhaust, and controlling the passages during the compres sion stroke. As this structure is all well known in the art, and as any desirable form thereof may be used, it is not deemed necessary to illustrate specifically the carbureting device, or the means for operating and properly timing the valves. 7

Crank cases 7, are removably secured to the flanges 8, at opposite ends of the cylinders, for rotatably mounting crank shafts 9 and 10 respectively. The crank shaft 9, is provided with a crank 11 connected by a suitable connecting rod 12, with the piston 2, in one end of the cylinder, while the crank shaft 10 is provided with a crank 13 connectedby a rod 14;, with the other piston 2, in the opposite end of the cylinder. The crank shaft 9 is formed with a crank 15, arranged at an acute angle to the crank 11, as illustrated in the drawing, which is substantially 4t5 with relation thereto, while the crank shaft 10 is provided with a crank 16 arranged at an obtuse angle to the crankli-B, and at substantially 135 in relation thereto, which cranks are connected by a connection rod 17, in order to provide for the operation of rotation of the crank shaft, in unison. By this construction, it will be clear that upon the opposite reciprocation of the pistons 2, relative to one another, in the cylinder 3, that the crank shafts 9 and 10, will be rotated in relatively opposite directions, as indicated by the arrows, and in uniform relation through the connecting rods 17, directly connecting the cranks 15 and 16 of said shafts. In this way, it will be seen that in the corresponding opposite movement of the piston, a similar corresponding opposite movement of the crank shaft will be operated, and the operation of the engine balanced by this construction, for producing an internal combustion engine of thistype, wherein vibration is reduced to a minimum.

From the foregoing description, it will therefore be clear that an internal combustion engine of the opposed cylinder'type has been provided with oppositely rotated crank shafts, Wherein connecting rods connect the cranks of each shaft for insuring the uniform rotation there-of, Whilethe'crank connections with the piston rod are arranged at acute and obtuse angles respectively, in each shaft, for properly timing the operation of the piston, and insuring the uniform movement in asimilar manner in the cylinder.

Minor changes may be made in the invention, Without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An internal combustion engine compris ing an open ended cylinder provided at the points between its ends With diametrically opposite valves, the opposite ends of said cylinder being flanged to provide lateral attaching flanges, duplicate crank cases at tached to said flanges, a pair of opposed pis tonss'lidable in said cylinder and adapted to move in directions: opposite to each other, shafts in said crank cases, such shafts being rotated in directions opposite to each other, connecting rods connected with the outer ends of said pistons, lateral crank arms on said shafts affording connection between said rods and shafts, additional crank arms connected to said shafts, said additional crank arms being disposed at obtuse and acute angles respectively, with respect to the first named crank arms, and a connecting link between said additional crank arms for producing simultaneous rotation of said shafts.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HERMAN A. SHORT. 

